The Green Bay Packers have finally cut the umbilical with legendary quarterback Brett Favre, and it seems the New York Jets are the beneficiaries.  Gang Green has acquired Favre for what is believed to be a fourth-round draft pick that will increase in value depending on the the number of snaps that Favre takes behind center.  If Favre gets 80 percent of the team’s total snaps in 2008 and the Jets appear in the Super Bowl, the selection becomes a first-round pick, according to the NFL Network.

Say goodbye to Chad Pennington, whose eight year career with the Jets has come to end with Favre’s arrival.

Said Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum: ”I have all the respect in the world for Chad as a person, as a player. We’ve accomplished a lot of good things with Chad. … He gave his heart and soul to this organization for a long, long time. I really appreciate everything he’s done.”

It’s unclear if Pennington will be traded or released.

So D-Day is finally upon us and we can put an end to the nauseating Favre Watch.  While it’s not entirely shocking that Favre has found his way to the Jets, it’s a little bit surprising given numerous published reports indicating that Favre had no desire to play in the Big Apple, and particularly not for the New York Jets. Evidently the team’s brain trust did a great job of selling their city and their system to the Mississippi native.

I’m sure most fans are pinching themselves right now, but for me, personally, this is not a good day.  I’m opening up the newspapers this morning and reading headlines like “Favre Makes Jets Matter Again” and “Jets Need Favre To Deliver.”  How much is this move about making the Jets a better football team, and how much is this move about countering the Giants’ publicity in the wake of their Super Bowl victory?  It’s bad enough to watch the Mets constantly stumbling over their own feet in an attempt to compensate for ownership’s inferiority complex.  Now I need to see it from my football team as well?

The Jets had already spent $141 million during free agency this offseason.  Now they add one of the Legends of the game to their roster.  Will I even recognize this team when it takes the field in a few weeks? Can’t I at least see what that boatload of cash has bought me before I run out and throw Brett Favre into the mix?  Overnight, the Jets went from an organization shrewdly plugging holes on their offensive line and defense to an organization that seems to think the NFL is a glorified game of Fantasy Football.  I’m sorry, I’m not excited about this move. I’m just not.  

On the contrary, I’m a little embarrassed.

I understand I’m in the minority here (though the Post’s Jay Greenberg seems to agree with me), and no, I won’t root against Favre.  I’m just disappointed in my team today.  Two seasons ago, the 2006 Jets were the Cinderella story of the NFL, winning 10 games behind Chad Pennington and his weak arm. Brett Favre won 13 games with the Green Bay Packers last season.  Does this move really improve Gang Green’s outlook for 2008 and beyond, or is today’s front page splasher simply a “late, wild swing by the Jets for some attention,” as Greenberg puts it?  To me, it stinks of the latter.